033 - Academy

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*****

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa,"

I couldn't help but sigh. I mean who wouldn't, the first thing they do is to send me here after I return. In the last 5 years of my travel, I have done things unimaginable, but I would have never thought that I would end up here.

What happened?

Oh! To say the least, Ze left abruptly. I have not heard from him, but he did leave something for me. After that, I was left alone with free time, so I traveled throughout the continent. I saw many different people and their cultures. It was a joyful journey.

Now now, let's not go into my journey. It's not like you are here for me to ramble about my travels since it's not 'Zeru's travels' is it?

So, coming back to the topic at hand.

I was sent here to test the waters, a scout to make sure this place is safe for the team to come. Even though I was used to being sent as a scout due to my excellent senses and speed if I say so myself, but this time the only difference being the place type I am sent to.

I can see that this peculiar place is wide as an emperor's castle, well, it is a castle. Its structure is like a castle, no, it's a castle but instead of being used by a king, it is used for education, using its many massive rooms to teach students.

The whole castle was white with some golden patterns adorning the pillars that supported the castle. Overall, it has a magnificent appearance saying 'we put all our extra money into it' and that's all I can say about it

If you are still wondering. Yes, I was sent to school, one of the dreadful places that I didn't want to go to, but my mom caught me with no way to escape and I had to agree to come here, it's not like I had my choice in this matter.

My mom, Callista, regained some of her memory. She knows that I am her son, and my material father is dead. Well, he is dead to me at least, but she cried for a whole day when she remembered it. Thanks to Fran who took care of her she was able to stabilize, and she had not shown any problems since.

Whoa, the atmosphere went a bit low there.

Coming back to the subject at hand, they send me to study in this academy. I was to study here and learn about the world. And check the problem that occurs here for the unaffiliated students (commoners).

After all this academy was built to create broad minds to help the empire and to show it doesn't discriminate against the races. After all, what is the point if only the powerful gain more power and trample on the growing sprout before they could grow because of jealousy?

So, I am here to find these people and beat the shit out of them.

And I don't exactly hate the idea as there are so many beautiful girls like the rainbow, with many different colors, like the blue ones, red ones, green ones, and oranges. I am talking about hair color. And at least, I get to enjoy my youth, in the meantime find a potential partner for myself. You know what I mean.

Yes, I am talking to you!

Only a lonely dog understands another.

That's enough with my monologue.

*thud*

...

Zeru fell his vision shifting and the ground approaching. It took him a moment to realize that he was actually falling. Zeru moved his legs forward and stumped to stop himself from falling.

'Fuck! I nearly embarrassed myself.'

He stopped himself from falling and looked back. He saw a girl bowing to him in apology.

"Sorry, I was zoning,"

Apologizing, she looked into his eyes, her deep black eyes looking like an enchanting abyss. Zeru felt his heart skip a beat as he froze looking at those jewel-like eyes.

Du-bump

"I am really sorry!"

She apologized again seeing that Zeru was just staring at her. Zeru snapped out of his daze by her voice and replied, stuttering.

"N-No, i-it okay,"

"Really, I am sorry,"

After bowing again, she turned and ran toward the castle. She immediately mixed in with the crowd and vanished from the view.

She didn't even say her name or let me ask her, well, I can see her again anyway.

*Du-bump*

'My heart is really beating strongly now, and I feel butterflies in my stomach. This what they call 'falling in love at first sight'. It seems I have found the one for me and she is cute as fuck. Her raven black hair and those deep dark eyes, especially those pink lips like a cherry on her fair skin.

Hehe, don't worry baby your darling is coming!

I need to find information about her first, only with good intelligence can a mission be completed without mistakes. After all, knowledge is power. I need to collect info about her and squash my competitors. This is going to be a blood bath.'

Fully immersed in his monologue and grinning like an idiot, Zeru moved toward the castle. The pathway leading to the castle was made with well cut rock and both side of the path way was designed bushes in different shape.

'At least the gardeners did work for their pay as not a single fallen leaf was in the garden.'

It took about 5 minutes for Zeru to arrive at the entrance. The castle was even more magnificent while looking at it nearby. There were depictions of mythical beasts on the pillars that held the celling. The whole castle was dazzling, reflecting the morning sunlight.

Zeru navigated himself through the intricate castle, that felt like a maze, toward the classes for the first years.

'She was defiantly my age, so, she should be a first year too. Let me see which class she is.'

He looked into each class as he moved though the corridor. Each class had a podium near the black board for the professors to teach and ten rows of seats for students in a curve, each seat a step higher.

For some reason, many male species were gathering in front of each class looking in, also some females species. The amount outside of each class were in different variation, it's not that I care who the girls wanted.

Not this one.

Not this too.

Definitely not this one.

"Ha,"

I scoffed as I looked toward the next class. The door was covered with male species looking inside the class, they were like ants attracted to sweets. Hmmm, it seems like there is a good looking girl inside. Wait, good looking girl.

Zeru hurried towards the group.

"What are you guys doing?"

He talked like a fellow student, to the group of males. They didn't seem like they would answer but here is a fact, 'in a group like this there is bound to be an extra who answers your question and give you even more detail. You just have to use you dialogue carefully.'

...

Some of the males species turned towards me and scanned my face and body, evaluating if I will become their competitor. After finish scanning my face most turned to continue and some kept looking at me, in one of those one spoke.

"You don't know?" he asked.

"I don't know," I said while having a dumb look.

He pulled me in as he put his hand around my shoulders and made me look into the class.

"This class is a treasure tow, all the most prestigious and beautiful girls end up here. Anyone who get them have hit jackpot. They get a high-way ticket to the top,"

He then proceeded to point at one of the girls and started explaining. See, this is the one who gives you details; you just need to get your dialogue right and you get info.

He then pointed to a girl with raspberry hair.

"That raspberry hair girl with greenish yellow eyes is from Martin family. One of the renowned swordsmen family."

Then he pointed to another.

"The girl with aquamarine hair and crystal blue eyes is from the Elford family, which is an ancient family of mages.

Then, …

He then proceeded to introduce all the beautiful girls one by one in the class. Even though they were beautiful in the eyes of these males, for me, who lived with the elves and had a mother who made elves envy, they were just average, but my eyes had already focused on one lady.

She was sitting on the third row, six steps above the ground. She was reading a book, shifting page by page with her slender fingers. She was like a black hole that attracted me.

"You know about her?"

I pointed toward her and asked. The extra looked at me with a knowing gaze before answering.

"Her name is Elain Hall, eighteen, her family is a fallen noble household from rebellion. For now, that's all we know,"

Elain, that's her name. Very nice name. A fallen noble household, huh? I don't care about such matters. It seems like I can't gain much from here anyway. Then let me go introduce myself.

Zeru removed the hand round his neck and moved into the class. Seeing him go in, the extra who was explaining, tried to catch him.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"Strike first to win my friend," he said coolly as he waved his hands without looking back.

He confidently arrived near the steps and climbed but as he stepped on the first step, his confidence started to drain.

What will she think?

Will she like me?

What should I say?

How should I introduce myself?

Should I just act like a coincident that we met?

Ahhh, I feel dizzy with the million question that popped up in my head, and unknowingly I have arrived at the third row.

"Huu,"

With a deep breath, I stabilized my mind and walked toward her. Each step felt like walking on a tight rope. I felt like fighting a dragon, the pressure was unbearable, dizzying.

I arrived next to her, but I felt the dizziness increase. It was then I noticed that my heart was beating like a drum, enough to be heard out. Unable to bring myself to talk to her, I passed her and sat on a seat. I was sitting next to her with a seat between us.

I couldn't help but bury my head in my arms. I was embarrassed beyond belief, I nearly fainted. Fuck, I didn't even feel this pressure on deadly missions. But this was something I was not prepared for.

I lifted my head a bit and turned to look at her. She was still reading her book without knowing the chaos she put me through. She is still dazzling, ahhh, I have fallen too deep. I couldn't keep my eyes away from her as I laid.

Every often when she looks around feeling the stare, I just closed my eyes pretending to sleep. I forgot the flow of time as I bathed in my bliss until a shadow covered her.

I looked up to notice someone trying to sit in the seat in-between us. You dare come in between my love, ha, you are asking for you death. Fury burned in my heart, but I suppressed the boiling rage and looked at the person that was trying to sit.

I raised my hand to stop him from sitting and asked.

"Bro, can you sit here?" I pointed to my seat, "I would like to sit there."

The guy looked at me with an expressionless face, and now that I look at him carefully. he had crystal blue eyes, lighter than my eyes, and short golden hair. He looked like those princes from the romance novels.

"Then why are you sitting there?" he questioned in his monotonic voice.

"Due to personal reasons, but can you not sit here," I politely asked, while keeping my voice down.

He looked at me contemplating before replying, "No, I want to sit here."

"C'mon bro, just sit here," I pleaded, who wouldn't want to sit next to his girl. It's simply heavenly.

"NO," he replied, resolute.

"Haaaaa," I couldn't help but sigh.

Why do I have to meet a stubborn bitch here of all day? This guy is not even moving a bit. Should I just beat him up? NO! That would cause my image to be tarnished. But I can't have this prince sit next to her, I need to keep my competitors in check.

I got up from my seat to look at him in the eye level, he was a bit taller than me, but I was looking at him straight in the eye.

"Come on, please listen to me. Why don't you sit here?" I looked at him, my eyes cold.

And I am this close to beating his ass.

"No," he replied stubbornly.

"haaaa, why are you not listening to me," I stared to talk again my voice changing in annoyance.

"Both of you, what are you doing in the middle of the class," an aged voice echoed in the room.

I turn to look where the voice came from,

*****